Dispensing closures are widely used for closing an opening in a container and allowing product to be dispensed from the container. The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to dispensing closures.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispensing cap comprising a dispensing orifice and an anti-glug orifice, the cap further comprising a closure member movable from a closed position to an open position, in which in the closed position the anti-glug orifice is blocked by the closure member and the dispensing orifice is closed, and in the open position the dispensing orifice is open and the anti-glug orifice is unblocked.
The anti-glug orifice is therefore revealed during opening. Thereafter when product flows through the dispensing orifice the anti-glug system helps with the problem of inconsistent flow rates and inaccurate pouring. The anti-glug orifice allows air to enter the container, equalising the pressure inside and outside the container to give a more consistent flow of product. In some embodiments a spout initially seals and emerges from an anti-glugging orifice.
A further aspect provides a dispensing cap comprising a dispensing orifice and a closure member movable from a closed position in which the orifice is closed to an open position in which the orifice is open, the closure member including a pouring spout which is moved so as to be able to receive flow from the dispensing orifice in the open position.
In some embodiments a pouring spout therefore forms part of the closure member and as the closure member is moved to open the dispensing orifice the spout moves to a position so that is can receive product flow from the orifice.
A further aspect provides a dispensing cap comprising a dispensing orifice and a closure member movable from a closed position in which the orifice is closed to an open position in which the orifice is open, the cap includes a body closed at or towards one end by the member, and the closure member is pivotable about a lateral axis of the body to open the dispensing orifice.
In some embodiments the lateral axis is generally perpendicular to a main axis of the body. The lateral axis may be generally centrally positioned on the body.
A further aspect provides a dispensing cap comprising a dispensing orifice and a closure member movable from a closed position in which the orifice is closed to an open position in which the orifice is open, the cap includes a body closed at or towards one end by the member, and the closure member is inverted to open the dispensing orifice.
In some embodiments the closure member is moved away from the dispensing orifice to open it. In other embodiments the closure member is responsible for an opening event e.g. breaching a seal or breaking a cover.
The closure member may include breaching means for breaching a container seal, such as cutting or slicing means.
The breaching means may be arranged to breach the seal at or in the region of an outside diameter thereof. In some embodiments a generally circular seal is used to seal a container opening. In many cases, such seals are most taut at their outside diameter and by cutting at this point a very clean and efficient cut can be achieved.
The closure member may be movable from the closed to the open position in a one-handed user operation.
In some embodiments the cap may be formed as a single-piece article. In other embodiments multi, for example two, part structures are envisaged, for example with a body part and a closure member part. Use of different materials, for example plastics materials, is possible; a sequentially moulded article may be produced in some embodiments.
The closure member may turn through approximately 180 degrees from the closed to the open position. Embodiments in which the closure member turns to a greater or lesser extent are also possible.
The closure member may be located substantially completely within the periphery of the cap in the closed position. Alternatively or additionally the closure member may be located substantially completely within the periphery of the cap in the open position. In some embodiments therefore there is no increase in the footprint of the cap when the closure member moves to the open position.
The cap may be generally cylindrical, for example having a generally cylindrical side skirt closed at one end by a circular top deck or plate.
The cap may include engagement means for attaching it to a container, for example screw thread formations or a snap bead which engage corresponding formations on a container neck finish.
The present invention also provides a milk container cap comprising or including a cap as defined and described herein.
The present invention also provides a container in combination with a cap as defined and described herein.
The container may have an opening initially closed by a seal. The seal may be applied to the opening by heat sealing, for example by induction heat sealing.
Different aspects of the present invention may be used separately or together.
Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the claims.
The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: